Murong Jin felt like his legs were about to burst into smoke as he finally arrived at Zuichunlou.

Upon seeing the two lanterns depicting beautiful women hanging in front of the Drunken Spring Pavilion, Prefect Jiang frowned and grabbed Murong Jin's sleeve with a serious expression.

"Teacher, although your wife has a bad temper and sometimes makes you angry, you mustn't go to a brothel just to spite her!"

Magistrate Jiang blocked the way for Old Master Murong, fearing that he would take another step forward.

If the teacher's wife knew that the teacher had come to the brothel with him, wouldn't she be heading to the prefect's mansion with two kitchen knives the next day?

Murong Jin rolled his eyes so hard they almost popped out of his head when he heard this. Just as he was about to say something, he saw a group of people running out of Zuichunlou in a panic.

"Go and ask what happened?" Magistrate Jiang gave his guard a meaningful look.

Then a guard stepped forward to stop the person and inquire about the situation.

At that moment, a group of children ran out of Zuichunlou amidst the chaotic crowd.

Magistrate Jiang was standing on the street opposite Zuichun Tower when a little girl stumbled out. Seeing the unfamiliar surroundings, she didn't know where to run. She stood there blankly, when someone bumped into her from behind, and she fell down in front of Magistrate Jiang.

The little girl fell and hurt herself. She hugged the "black pillar" next to her and cried loudly, "Waaah, I want to find my mother! I want to go home! Where am I? I want to go home and find my mother!"

Magistrate Jiang bent down and picked up the little girl who was crying with snot and tears streaming down her face, clutching his black boots.

The little girl looked to be seven or eight years old, with two braids. When she was picked up, her sleeves rolled down a bit, revealing her scarred arms, which were clearly from being whipped.

Upon seeing this, Magistrate Jiang's face darkened, but he still tried to keep his tone even when speaking to the child: "Little one, where do you live? How did you get here?"

The little girl cried, “We live in Da Niu Village. My mother took me to town to buy clothes, but there were too many people in town, and I got separated from my mother. Someone said they would help me find my mother, and that’s how I ended up here. The people here are so mean. When I cry, they hit me, boohoo.”

Daniu Village?

After thinking for a long time, Prefect Jiang remembered that he had once governed a village called Da Niu Village when he served in Yuncheng.

Yuncheng is at least a seven-day journey from Jian'an City. This little girl is covered in injuries, and having come all this way, she must have been abducted.

This Drunken Spring Pavilion dares to engage in human trafficking and forcing women into prostitution within his jurisdiction; they're simply asking for trouble!

Magistrate Jiang was so angry that he trembled all over. He handed the little girl to the guards beside him and stepped into Zuichun Tower with a gloomy face.

Zuichunlou was in a mess. The curtains on the top floor were burned, and the ground was littered with overturned tables, chairs, benches, wine pots, and teacups.

Prefect Jiang, accompanied by a group of guards, stepped into the Drunken Spring Pavilion, treading over the mess on the ground.

"Sir, there's been a fire in this building, and someone has died in the fire. His surname is Li, and he seems to be Magistrate Li's grandson!"

A guard followed behind Prefect Jiang, reporting the information he had gathered.

Magistrate Jiang waved his hand, ordering some people to check on the deceased's condition, while others followed him to patrol the building.

The young maid who was putting out the fire saw Magistrate Jiang running back in a panic, but was stopped by the guards.

Where is the person in charge of the building?

The little maid shrank her neck. In the past, when government officials came to the building, Madam Hua would make arrangements in advance to take good care of them. But tonight was too chaotic. Everyone was busy with their own things, and no one stopped Magistrate Jiang.

The young maid dared not stop them. Seeing the knife in the guard's hand, she obediently pointed out the direction to Magistrate Jiang and his party.

"Mom is in the backyard."

backyard.

Shen Yuan watched the cleaver falling towards her, silently counting down the time in her mind.

In a flash, she heard a cold shout: "Insolence! Let's see who dares to act recklessly in Jian'an City under my jurisdiction!"

The cleaver, radiating a sharp killing intent, suddenly stopped in mid-air, and everyone turned to look at the source of the sound.

Upon seeing that the visitor was Magistrate Jiang, Mama Hua's legs went weak and she almost couldn't stand.

The guards following behind Prefect Jiang were also holding a child in their arms.

When Hua's mother recognized the child as the one she had kidnapped from Da Niu Village last month, her face turned ashen.

Played!

It's all over!

Mommy Flower collapsed to the ground with a thud; all her fun was over!

With a cold face, Magistrate Jiang gave an order, and the guards rushed forward and detained Madam Hua and all the thugs from Zuichunlou.

Prefect Jiang then looked at Chu Yuning and Shen Yuan. The former's face was swollen like a pig's head, and her features were unrecognizable. Prefect Jiang only glanced at her before looking away.

He did remember the latter; the girl had shone brightly at the Dao-enlightening Banquet and he heard that she was later taken in as a disciple by his master's wife.

Prefect Jiang recognized Shen Yuan and asked, "What are you doing here?"

When Magistrate Jiang entered, Shen Yuan concealed the dagger in her sleeve.

Hearing Magistrate Jiang ask this question, she wiped her eyes, stepped forward, and answered in a hoarse voice, "Your Honor, I was strolling in the market yesterday when I accidentally bumped into this madam, and then she drugged me and led me into the Drunken Spring Pavilion."

"Today she wanted me to entertain guests, but I refused. In the struggle, I accidentally knocked over the candle, setting the room on fire. Young Master Li was frightened and ran towards the door, but he accidentally fell into the fire pit and died instantly!"

"My mother was worried that this matter would be found out, so she wanted to kill me to silence me. She locked me in this courtyard and wanted to kill me so that she could frame me for what happened to Young Master Li!"

The sound of Shen Yuan's voice was like weeping blood.

Hua's mother was so angry at her three "accidents" that she almost vomited blood!

She must have been blind yesterday! That brat is incredibly cunning and eloquent! She practically made lies sound true!

"My lord! That's not true! It really isn't true! Young Master Li was really killed by her, she's the murderer!" Madam Hua pointed at Shen Yuan, speaking angrily.

Two lines of tears instantly rolled down Shen Yuan's face: "How could a weak woman like me, who has no strength to even kill a chicken, possibly kill a man so easily?"

"You're talking nonsense! You just pointed a knife at Young Master Chu! How could you not kill someone?" Madam Hua was eager for Chu Yuning to stand up and testify.

But when she met her gaze, Chu Yuning lowered her head.

Just now, when he saw those thugs slashing at Shen Yuan with knives, he suddenly realized that he had a bit of a crush on Shen Yuan.

After all, she had been following him for ten years, and he had long been used to her presence.

In the past, she was gentle, considerate, and understanding; her eyes were only for him.

Now, although she no longer sees him, and even holds a knife to his neck, her brightness, intelligence, confidence, and courage strike him even more deeply.

So even though Chu Yuning knew that this was the best time to take revenge on Shen Yuan, he hesitated.

"Young Master Chu, what foolish thing are you doing now! That bitch just held a knife to your throat, she almost killed you! What are you still hesitating for?"

Upon hearing this, a cold glint flashed in Chu Yuning's eyes. He knelt down with a thud and spoke to Prefect Jiang...